The Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has expressed on Monday strong concern and condemnation over the arrest of journalist Anis Alamgir under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The organization noted that Alamgir had recently been vocal in criticizing various government policies and actions through television talk shows and other platforms, expressing dissenting opinions.
ASK said that applying the Anti-Terrorism Act against a journalist constitutes a clear misuse of the law’s purpose and scope. “An act designed to curb terrorist activities should not be used to target freedom of expression or journalism. Such actions are contrary to the fundamental principles of a democratic state and represent a direct attack on freedom of speech” the organization said.
The organization emphasized that criticizing the government or state policies is not a crime. “Independent and critical journalism is an essential component of accountable governance. Arrests like these instill fear among media professionals and set a dangerous precedent for suppressing dissenting voices,” ASK stated.
Reiterating the importance of freedom of expression, ASK highlighted that it is a constitutional right in Bangladesh. “Using stringent laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act to undermine this right is unacceptable.
Any legal questions regarding statements or publications should be addressed through transparent, fair, and due legal process, not through arrests aimed at silencing dissent,” the statement said.
ASK has called for the immediate withdrawal of the Anti-Terrorism Act charges against journalist Anis Alamgir and urged the authorities to prevent the misuse of such laws in the future to suppress dissent or journalistic voices.
